Electrical connecter



Dec. 8, 1931. e. H E. BERTHOLD ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed July 9, 1929INVENTOR EOR6E b. E BFRTHDLfl W ATTORNEYf Patented Dec. 8, 1931 untrueSTATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. E. BERTHOLD, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNOR 1'0 THE RAJ'AH COMPANY, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY ELECTRICAL comvnorm Application filed July 9,1929. Serial No. 376,945.

The present invention relates to connecters for electricity conductorssuch for instance as may be used to join twoparts of a line to connect aine with a terminal or with other electrically conducting member.

It is highly desirable that devices of the above described character bequickly attachable and detachable, and yet engage with a grip firmenough to prevent accidental disconnection and also to provide a goodelectrical contact.

It is an object of the invention to provide a connecter which will meetthe above-mentioned requirements and will also be economical tomanufacture and efiicient in use.

Other objects of the invention relate to certain novel and improvedarrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the advantages of which will bereadil understood and appreciated by those s illed in the art.

One embodiment of my invention with particular reference to its use onspark plugs is illustrated by the accompanying drawmgs and will bedescribed herein.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a new in elevation showing an electricalconductor connected to a spark plug by a device constructed inaccordance wit the present invention; V. I

IYY-F'gure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showlng the manner inwhich the connecter is attached to a conductor;

"Figure ,3 is a transverse sectional view takenon the line 3-3 of Figure2; Eigure 4 is a view partly in elevation and partlyin section of aslightly modified form :o'flthe invention; and

lflgure 5 1s a wow in elevation showing the upper end of a spark plugand the manner of adapting the spark plug to use with a connecterconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which the same characters ofreference designate correspondin parts A indicates a portion of a sparkp ug and B indicates an electricalcable. The spark plug A has anelectrode C shown in dotted lines 1n Figure 5.

The spark plug terminal is preferably in the form of a nut which hasthreaded engagement with the spark plug electrode 0 and is provided onits free end witha terminal stud 12. This terminal stud has a taperedfree end portion 14 and intermediate of its ends it is provided with areduced portion or groove 16. This construction forms a plurality ofshoulders 18, the purpose of which will be hereinafter specificallydescribed.

Secured to the free end of the electrical cable B is a ferrule memberand this ferrule is provided with a terminal-engaging member 22. Asshown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings this terminal-engaging member22 may be a separate element carried by the ferrule 20 and it may besecured thereto by providing the ferrule 20 with a portion 24 adapted tobe received within an opening 26 at one end of the member 22 and upsetas at 28 to firmly grip the border portion of the opening 26 in themember 22.

As shown in Figure 2 the insulation of the cable B is stripped and theconductor which is preferably of the multiple strand type is folded backupon the insulated portion of the cable, as designated at 30 so that asthe cable is inserted in the ferrule member 20 an electrical contactbetween the conductor of the cable and said ferrule is had.

The terminal-engaging member 22 is preferably of sleeve-likeconstruction and is provided with a plurality of cut-out portions orslots 32 extendin longitudinall but terminating short of t e ends thereoThis construction provides a plurality of spaced resilient members 34,the ends of which are connected as at 36 by reason of the fact that thecut-out portions 32 do not extend nected and therefore these members areless/ readily deformed than would be the case if the cut-outportions'were extended through the end of the member 22. It is to beunder? stood, however, that the members 34 have 1 sufiicient resiliencyeto permit of ready removal of the mem terminal stud 12. I

In attaching the cable B to the terminal 12, the member 22 is insertedover the terminal 12 and the tapered free end portion thereof engagesthe inclined faces 42 of the member 22. The tapered portion 14 of theternrinalupon en agement with the inclined faces 42 causes the resilientmembers 34 to ex and until such time as the shoulders o the member 22pass beyond the outer shoulder 18, at which position the shoulders 40 ofthe members 22 are free to snap into engagement with the outer shoulder18 of the terminal,

r 22 from the spark plug ,thereby securing not only a good electricalcontact, but also a firm mechanical connection between thefemale'connecter 22 and the male terminal 12.

In that form of-the invention shown in Figure 4 the member 22 is similarin construction to that in the form just described except that insteadof being a separate element with respect to the ferrule 20 it is anintegral extension thereof which may be of the same diameter or slightlyenlarged or slightly re- 'duced in diameter as designated by thereference numeral 44 and accordin' to the requirements of the particularea c and terminal or other apparatus with which it is From the foregoingit is apparent that the present invention provides a new form ofconnecter for electrically connecting electricity conductors and inwhich the connection is of such nature as provides a good electricalconnection and one which is relatively safe against accidentaldisconnection.

- Although I have illustrated my invention by its application in theconnection of high tension cables-to spark plugs of internal combustionengines, my invention is nevertheless applicable to numerous other casesand in short wherever a tight, but readily attachable and detachable,electrical contact is required.

It is evident that the stud top type of termiwas.

All of these variations I claim as within the scope of my invention.

The number, shape and size of the slots 32 d is not limited to what isillustrated in the drawings, but may be substantially varied ac-..cording to the weight and kind of material used and according to thecurrent which is to be carried or the force against which it is desiredto maintain the contact. However, I have found the form illustrated tobe an advantageous'one. In general I have'found it advantageous tomanufacture the connecter from resilient brass, but any resilientelectrically conducting material may be used.

It will also be a parent to those skilled in the art that the femaleconnecter element of my invention may be secured to the electricityconductor in; many other ways than those illustrated in the drawings andalthough I have found it advantageous to use the method illustrated inthe drawings my invention as claimed herein is not to be limi tcdthereto.

While the invention has been herein shown in a preferred form it isobvious that it may be practiced in other forms without departing fromthe spirit of the invention and it is to be understood that theinvention is not to be limited to the specific forms in which it isherein shown or described.

What is claimed as new is:

1.- A device of the character described comprising a sleeve-like memberslotted so as to form a plurality of elongated resilient members rigidlyconnected at their ends, said resilient members being bent so as to forminwardly projecting V-shaped portions adapted to be forced outwardly bythe male termi-.

on said male terminal when the connection is made. v

' 2. A device as defined in claim 1, in which the sleeve-like member issubstantially circular in cross-section.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, in which the sleeve-like member issubstantially cylindrical.

4. A device of the character described comprising a sleeve-like memberslotted so as to form a plurality of resilient members connected attheir ends, and cam surfaces on said resilient members spaced fromthe'ends thereof positioned so as to be forced outwardly by the maleterminal when the-connection is being made or broken and to engage in atransverse groove on said male terminal when the connection is made.

5. A device of the character described comprising a sleeve-like memberslotted so as to form a plurality of resilient members-connected attheir ends, and inwardly'exte'nding terminal engaging means carried byeach" of said resilient members spaced from each end thereof."

over the outside of male terminal, being slotted longitudinally so as toform a plum t of resilient members integrall connecte at their ends, andhaving near t eir centers and spaced from the ends of the members formedby said slots inwardly projecting terminal engaging means adapted tospring said resilient members outward when pushed over the end of themale terminal and to be held by said members in said slot of the maleterminal when in operative relation thereto.

7. An electrical connecter comprising a male terminal having an annulargroove, and

a female terminal comprising a sleeve-like member of a diameter to fitsubstantially over the outside of male terminal, being slottedlongitudinally so as to form a pluralit of resilient members integrallyconnecte at their ends, and having near their centers and spaced fromthe ends of the members formed by said slots inwardly projectingterminal engaging means,-the inner surfaces of which are adapted to actas came against the end of the male terminal to sprin said resilientmembers outward when ushe over the end of the male terminal an to beheld by said members in said slot of the male terminal when in 0 erativerelation thereto.

Signed at Bloom eld, Essex County, N. J this 8th day of July, 1929.

GEORGE H. E. BERTHOLD.

